


Forever

by magnificentbanes



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Immortal Husbands, M/M, split POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 14:30:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13977081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnificentbanes/pseuds/magnificentbanes
Summary: Magnus and Alec's journey from proposal to marriage





	Forever

This wasn’t how Magnus envisioned it happening. He pictured a romantic evening - maybe in Tokyo, or Rome, or any of the hundreds of places they’d been to together over the past year and a half. Anywhere but sitting on their couch in Brooklyn, without even so much as a ring.

“What did you say?” Alec asked, blinking rapidly.

Magnus smiled and took Alec’s face between his hands gently, as if he would break under the touch. He rested their foreheads together and just breathed the moment in before saying in a quiet voice meant only for Alec, “Marry me, Alexander Lightwood.”

Alec said nothing, eyes closed. Magnus’s heart was beating a violent tattoo against his ribcage. He had never bared his soul this way, had never asked anyone to marry him. Even with Camille, the thought had been there, but he’d never worked up the nerve to ask the question. Perhaps because he subconsciously knew what her answer would be. But, with Alec, it was different -  _ everything  _ was different. He hoped he knew how Alec would answer, but he couldn’t be one hundred percent certain.

But still he hoped.

Finally, Alec pulled back and, with a smile so bright it could light up all of Brooklyn, said, “Well, I guess I don’t need this, then.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a burgundy ring box. Inside was a simple silver ring unlike anything Magnus would have picked out for himself, but when he picked it up and examined it, he saw that the word “ _ Forever _ ” was engraved on the inside of the band.

He handed the ring back to Alec. “Ask me.”

“What?”

“Ask me, Alexander. Please.” In his heart, in his soul, in every cell of his body, Magnus knew that Alec loved him. But, even with that knowledge, he had deep rooted insecurities and sometimes he just had to  _ hear  _ Alec say it.

Alec slid off the couch onto one knee and took Magnus’s hand in his own. “Magnus Bane, you are the love of my life. Marry me?”

“Of course.” Magnus pulled Alec up to his level to capture his lips in a kiss that tasted like forever.

They parted and Alec slid the ring onto Magnus’s finger. “For the record,” he commented, “I’ll marry you, too.”

“Good to know.”

\----

“Alec, I need your opinion on center pieces for the wedding,” Izzy said, walking into his office carrying a stack of photographs. Alec put the notepad he had been using to write his vows on aside, took off his glasses, and smiled at his sister.

“Izzy, for the millionth time, I don’t care what the wedding looks like. That’s why I asked you to plan it.”

“Oh, come on, big brother. You’re only going to have one wedding. Don’t you want it to be perfect?”

“As long as I get to marry Magnus, it’ll be perfect. No matter what the center pieces are.”

Izzy smiled. “Just humor me and look at the damn pictures.” Alec knew she wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so he took the photographs from her and thumbed through them. “Anything stand out to you?”

“These ones.” Alec pointed to a picture of simple, small white flowers. Generally speaking, he wasn’t the biggest fan of flowers because they were obnoxious and died too quickly and these ones were inocuos enough to not annoy him.

“I was hoping you would pick those ones.”

“Why?”

“Do you know that flowers have meanings?”

“I know that roses mean love, right?”

Izzy rolled her eyes affectionately. “God, you are such a  _ boy _ . The flowers you picked, big brother, are called yarrows. And they mean everlasting love.”

“Well, then, they’re perfect.”

\----

Alec banged his head against his desk with a groan. He knew it was futile but a small part of his brain thought that maybe that would help jar loose some decent vows. “Hey, now. Don’t go getting a bruise on your forehead. Magnus would never forgive you if you were hurt on your wedding day.”

Alec looked up and smiled weakly. “Hey, Luke. Is everything all right with the pack?”

“Yeah, the pack is fine. But, from what I hear, you aren’t. Your mother asked me to talk to you. She said that you could use a father figure.”

“Guess this is what I get for letting my mom date my friend,” he said with a laugh. “But, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Luke came around to Alec’s side of the desk and leaned against it. “The dent you left in your desk would beg to differ. Come on, Alec, I’m your friend - you can tell me what’s bothering you. And I promise not to tell your mother.”

Alec ran a hand through his hair, which was already disheveled from him running his hands through it all morning. “It’s these stupid vows,” he confessed. “I’ve been trying to write them for months and the wedding is in two days and I’ve got nothing.”

“Well, I’ve never been married but I have seen probably every romantic movie known to man with Clary and what they’ve taught me is that you just have to tell the person you’re marrying how much you love them.”

“But that’s the problem! I tell Magnus how much I love him every day and I can’t think of a new way to say it.”

Luke clapped him on the shoulder and straightened. “Well, I can’t help you there, buddy. You’re on your own.”

“Gee, thanks.” Luke laughed and left Alec alone to stare at the blank paper in front of him.

He groaned and let his head drop to the desk.

\----

It was finally here. After four hundred and some years, Magnus was finally getting married. And not only was he getting married, he was getting married to the most beautiful, kindest, most amazing man in the world. Alec loved him in a way that Magnus never thought was possible and he couldn’t believe that after today, he was going to have Alec for as long as they both shall live, for forever.

About a month before, Clary had come to them, saying that she had an early wedding present. Alec insisted that she didn’t need to give them anything since they had specifically asked for no gifts, not when they already had everything they would ever need, but she had persisted, saying that they were going to want this present.

It turned out to be a rune given to her by the Angel. She admitted that she didn’t know exactly what it did, as with all the runes she was given, but she had a feeling. It was an immortality rune, she said, one that would work for Alec and only Alec.

Both Magnus and Alec had cried and thanked Clary profusely. Alec had drawn it on himself that night, placing it over his heart. It didn’t make him feel any different, he had said, but the knowledge that he was going to live forever, be with Magnus forever, grounded him and made him feel complete.

Today was the day they were finally going to tell everyone about Clary’s gift.

But first they had to get married, which was possibly even more terrifying.

It had been almost exactly two years since Alec had stopped his  _ other  _ wedding and kissed Magnus, changing both of their lives forever. Two years and Magnus couldn’t even believe that he had gone so long without Alexander Lightwood in his life. Two years and it had all been leading to this moment.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Magnus turned and smiled at Catarina, who was leaning against the doorframe, a vision in gold. Alec and Magnus had asked their guests to wear either warlock blue or Shadowhunter gold in some form and Catarina had declared that she looked better in gold than blue and who cared if she was a warlock and not a Shadowhunter?

“My thoughts are worth at least a dollar.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Spill, Bane.” It was not lost on Magnus that that was probably the last time Cat would ever call him “Bane” because in just under two hours he would be a Lightwood-Bane.

“I’m just nervous.”

“Why on Earth are you nervous? Haven’t you wanted to marry Alec since the first time you saw him?” Magnus laughed. “Seriously, Magnus, you and Alec are meant to be together in that cliche romantic movie way. There’s no need for you to be nervous.”

“I’ve never done this before, Cat. I’ve never been married. What if marriage is the one thing I’m not good at?”

“Magnus, marriage is not going to be easy. It’s not  _ supposed  _ to be easy. You’re supposed to work at it because how else would you know if it’s worth it? Do you think Alec’s worth it?”

“You know I do.”

“Then everything will work itself out.”

“How come you always know exactly what to say?”

“I’ve been your best friend for over two hundred years - it’s my job.” She hooked her arm around his. “Now, come on. Let’s go get you married.” Magnus allowed himself to be lead out of the room and down the hall to the chapel.

He and Alec had decided to have their wedding in the very chapel where they had kissed for the first time. One, because of the poetic nature of it all but also because Alec said that that chapel should see at least one happy wedding. And who was Magnus to disagree?

They had also agreed that since neither of them was a bride, neither of them had to have the grand “walk down the aisle to music while everyone watches” moment. They agreed to be casual about it and just meet each other at the altar. Alec was standing at the altar, chatting with Luke, their officiant. As if he could sense his presence, Alec looked up when Magnus entered the room and smiled. Cat slipped her arm out of Magnus’s and left to find her seat with a kiss to his cheek and a whispered “See you when you’re married.”

Once Magnus was standing in front of Alec, it was like all the air had been taken out of his lungs. Two years, and Alec Lightwood still took his breath away. “Hey, breathe, it’s okay,” Alec said, taking Magnus’s hands.

“I just can’t believe it’s finally here.”

“I know. Me either. Ready to be married?”

“More than you can ever know.” Alec smiled and looked like he wanted to lean in and kiss Magnus but they had decided to keep the tradition of not kissing until the officiant pronounced them married, so he just squeezed Magnus’s hands.

When all the guests were seated, Luke cleared his throat and said, “Hello, everybody. I was going to introduce myself, but I’m not important today. Magnus and Alec are. They asked me to keep the ceremony short, but before we get to the vows, I just wanted to say a few words.” He looked between Magnus and Alec, asking for permission, and they both nodded. “Two years ago, I didn’t know Alec Lightwood and I only knew Magnus Bane as the High Warlock of Brooklyn. But it’s amazing what time can do and I’m standing here proud to call them both my friends.

“Magnus and Alec are probably the textbook definition of true love. They showed all of us how to fight for what we want, for who we want to love. I think I speak for all of us here when I say that they’re an inspiration. So, thank you guys for that. Anyway,” he added, “I think you two have something you want to say.”

Alec opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Magnus said, “Can I go first? Before I lose my nerve?” Alec nodded and Magnus closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He could do this. “Alexander, before I met you, I had closed myself off to love. I know you already know that, but I need to repeat it because I need you to know how much you saved me. Over time, immortals begin to calcify and I fear that I was on my way there. And then you came bursting into my life and it was like life was in color again. It-” Here he cut himself off, throat thick with unshed tears.

Alec reached up and cradled Magnus’s face in his palm, wiping away a tear that was running down his cheek. “Hey, you’re good. I love you.”

Magnus covered Alec’s hand with his own. “I love you, too.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself. “It’s not going to be easy, but I promise never to push you away when things get crazy. I promise to try and stay in New York for dinner occasionally.” That earned a laugh from Alec. “But, most importantly, I promise to love you for as long as you’ll let me.”

“So, forever,” Alec said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, as if he didn’t just take all the breath out of Magnus’s lungs. Then, “I struggled so much trying to write these vows. Everyone who tried to help said to tell you how much you mean to me, but I tell you that every day, so it’s nothing special. But, I decided to keep it simple. So, Magnus Bane, you changed my life in ways that I never thought would be humanly possible and I fall more in love with you every day. I guess all there’s left to say is that I promise to love you until the end of time.”

There were murmurs from their guests at Alec’s declaration, but now wasn’t the time to tell. Now was about them.

“Magnus Bane, do you take Alexander Lightwood to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I absolutely do.” Magnus had never been more sure of anything in his four hundred years.

“Alexander Lightwood, do you take Magnus Bane to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I’d be crazy not to.”

“Well, all right, then. You guys are married. Go ahead and kiss - I know you want to.”

Reminiscent of the first time they had kissed in this room, Alec grabbed Magnus by the lapels of his blue jacket and kissed him like it was the first time. And, in a way, it was.

Because they did it. They got married.

\----

Magnus was taking a moment to himself outside while Alec danced with his sister. Every nerve in his body was still electrified and he was floating on air, but he also had a case of sensory overload. Everyone wanted to talk to him or hug him or pepper his face with kisses (Isabelle and Catarina) and it was...a lot. He just needed a breather.

“Magnus?”

“Oh, hello, Maryse.”

“I think congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you.”

In the two years he’d known her as his boyfriend’s (husband, he corrected himself) mother, Magnus had rarely spent time alone with Maryse. They had become cordial - dare he even say friendly - with each other, but their one-on-one time was seriously limited.

“Magnus, I need to apologize to you.” Magnus opened his mouth, but Maryse spoke over him. “Please, just let me say this.” He nodded. “Ever since you came into our lives, I’ve been trying. I slip up sometimes, but I need you to know that I’m trying to unlearn all of the prejudices I’ve carried with me my entire life. And,” she paused, as if she were choosing her words carefully, “and I’m proud to call you my son-in-law.”

Magnus felt the tears well up in his eyes and he rubbed at them, not caring that he was most likely going to ruin his make up. “Thank you, Maryse, that means a lot.”

“Would it be too forward if I hugged you?”

“Not at all.”

Magnus stood outside, watching the moon rise higher in the sky, the night chilling around him, lost in thought. A familiar arm wrapped itself around his waist and warm lips pressed to his cold cheek. “Hello, husband.” He could hear the smile in Alec’s voice.

“Hello, husband.”

“You okay?”

“Perfect.”

“Good. I was just wondering if you wanted to get out of here.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’m all into parties,” Magnus laughed, “but I’d rather spend some quality time with my husband.”

“Sounds great.”

“Yeah?”

Magnus created a portal. “Yeah.” They stepped through, ready to go home.

Later that night, they lay in bed, Magnus’s head pillowed on Alec’s bare chest, just listening to the soothing beat of his heart. “You know,” Alec said, “sex is so much better when you’re married.”

“Agreed.” Then, “I love you so much.”

“I love you so much, too.”

“I can’t believe you’re mine forever.” He traced the sharp lines of Alec’s immortality rune.

“For eternity.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Me, too.”

They fell asleep like that, in love and content, ready to start their forever.

**Author's Note:**

> come visit me on tumblr: magnificentbane!


End file.
